The present invention relates to camera accessories and in particular to a camera carrying device by which a camera can be attached to a belt or strap worn by a user.
When a person engaged in outdoor activities is carrying a camera, it is often difficult or inconvenient to retrieve the camera from a typical protective case provided by the manufacturer to take the desired photograph. Typically, the camera is suspended from a strap which is carried over the person's neck or shoulder with the protective case positioned around the camera in such a way that the camera flops around and is constantly in the way.
To overcome these disadvantages, a camera carrying device in accordance with the present invention provides a rigid member which is attachable to the rings on either side of the camera normally used to attach the strap. The rigid member can then be inserted into the user's belt, backpack, or like with the rigid member positioned between the belt or strap and the user's body. In accordance with the invention, the rigid member may be attached to the camera so that the back of the camera is adjacent to the user and the lens is facing outwardly away from the user or alternatively by reversing the attachment orientation of the camera and camera carrying device, the camera can be carried with the lens directed downwardly. This latter interconnection is particularly desirable when a large lens such as a telephoto lens is attached to the camera.
Heretofore various camera carrying devices have been devised for attachment to a belt and to a camera. For example, Wolfe design U.S. Pat. No. 236,916 shows a device which clips around the edge of the camera which has a spring like member for insertion between the waist band and the user. However, this camera clip is not attachable to the strap rings of the camera and in any event is configured so that the camera can only be positioned to point outwardly from the wearer. There is no position whereby the device can be interconnected to the camera so that the lens of the camera is held in a down pointing position.
Similarly, Linn et al. design U.S. Pat. No. Des. 240,094 shows a belt attached camera carrier which interconnects to the camera by the lower screw normally used to attached the camera case to the camera. This device similarly does not attach to the strap rings of the camera and is not configured so that camera lens can be either pointed outwardly or downwardly.
A substantially similar camera carrier with like disadvantages is illustrated in French Pat. No. 76 33200 issued to Petit.
A two position camera carrying accessory device is shown in Flanagan U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,968. Although this camera accessory device allows the camera to be held in either of two different positions, the lens extends outwardly from the body of the user and there is no possibility of an interconnection between the device and the camera whereby the lens can be pointed in a downward direction. In any event, the device of Flanagan is attached to the case attachment screw rather than to the strap rings.
Finally, belt attachment devices are shown in Mayer U.S. Pat. No. 2,328,915 for a fishing accessory and Hopkins U.S. Pat. No. 520,053 for a portable umbrella holder. While both of these devices show a hook-like mechanism for attachment over the top of the belt, neither of these devices permit inversion of the hook-like device so that the groove fits around the lower edge of the belt or strap rather than over the upper edge of the belt or strap. Furthermore, neither of these described devices disclose a camera carrying mechanism which is attached to the strap rings which allow a camera to be carried either with the lens pointing outwardly from the user or pointing downwardly toward the ground relative to the user.